Guardian type breeds?
- Thread starter Laurelin
- Start date
Get a Koolie.
Just do it, because I said so
Okay.... fine..., I just really want double the Koolie pictures...
Just do it, because I said so
Okay.... fine..., I just really want double the Koolie pictures...
Yep! Honestly, all joking aside and as much as much I think a Koolie could work really well; you want a Border Collie. I would go with the dog you want most and then get a gun. I personally think a BC could very well work as a deterrent, especially if s/he was prick eared, darker and taught to bark on command.
...Though maybe not Quinn, she's too cute to be scary
I think the big intimidating mix idea is a really good one too. Laur, I saw a dog at the humane society almost 15 years ago. He could have been your perfect dog. Seriously. I still think about him years later, wishing I was in a place to have a dog when he was there.
He was solid black, prick eared, with the working GSD conformation. Not any of the newer extreme styles, just a good old Horand style dog. He had two ice blue eyes, a tiny white bib, white socks, and a white tip on his tail. I have no idea what mix he was. The card said BC/GSD, though it couldn't have been a 1st gen X with the blue eyes.
He was STUNNING, and a love, and about 65 lbs. I took him out and played with him several times, just a super dog. He's probably no longer on this earth, but there could easily be an amazing, gorgeous, mix dog out there with all the qualities you want and love.
Sorry for the novel. lol, that just sorta sent me down memory lane.
He was solid black, prick eared, with the working GSD conformation. Not any of the newer extreme styles, just a good old Horand style dog. He had two ice blue eyes, a tiny white bib, white socks, and a white tip on his tail. I have no idea what mix he was. The card said BC/GSD, though it couldn't have been a 1st gen X with the blue eyes.
He was STUNNING, and a love, and about 65 lbs. I took him out and played with him several times, just a super dog. He's probably no longer on this earth, but there could easily be an amazing, gorgeous, mix dog out there with all the qualities you want and love.
Sorry for the novel. lol, that just sorta sent me down memory lane.
Laur, I know you've looked at Aussies before when you're waffling between some of the herders and I keep thinking they'd be a fabulous fit for you. And they come in solid black, or black bi (either copper or white--check out Shalako Aussies for an example; Fuzz, specifically) and most Aussies have a great show. You should hear Sawyer when he gets his ire up at something and just that stare he has when he's thinking about something is enough to make most people back off.
I like Aussies but I just kep coming back tot he fact I like BCs more and they're so similar... I definitely do really like them though.
I have a while to think things through though. A BC would in any way be a step up on the meter than Mia. Just about anything would be a step up on the intimidating scale, actually.
I'm appreciating the ideas though! Mia's showing me more and more lately that I need to bump back any puppy plans. I was hoping for a yearish from now but it may be a bit longer. I need to spend more time working through Mia's issues.
I have a while to think things through though. A BC would in any way be a step up on the meter than Mia. Just about anything would be a step up on the intimidating scale, actually.
I'm appreciating the ideas though! Mia's showing me more and more lately that I need to bump back any puppy plans. I was hoping for a yearish from now but it may be a bit longer. I need to spend more time working through Mia's issues.
Aussies are just as common here as BCs... probably more common. Both breeds are just everywhere. And mostAussies I've met are super friendly and butt wiggling and bouncy. So I'm not sure an aussie would be any more intimidating than a BC in this area because they are just so common. ACDs are also pretty common but tend to have more of a reputation.
Every one I've met is friendly -- to a point, lol. If you do one thing they don't like they will let you know in no uncertain terms they don't carry those teeth around because they're pretty. We may have a harder strain of Aussies here, though. They tend to be pretty intense -- ACD intense, actually The ACD would be a great choice, too.
The ACD would be a great choice, too.
Most real working stock dogs around here are ACDs or kelpies or curs/lacies and some border collies. BCs are a bit softer in general for cattle work though you see them crossed with ACDs and Kelpies often. Sheep are pretty uncommon in this kind of terrain so most our stock is beef cattle. My uncle's cowdogs (other than his rottweiler anomaly) were all ACDs or ACD/BC. Kelpies seem to be getting more common these days too. So I guess I'm saying that I think Aussies aren't used all that often anymore around here at least compared to the other breeds which could affect the temperament. I've just always thought of them as the most outgoing of the herders and the bounciest. I see some working style aussies around but most are bigger and flashier style dogs who seem quite a bit less hard tempered.
There's been enough of a popularity surge to get more of the pet-type and show type dogs, which are bigger, bouncier and friendlier. The working ones are still going to let it be known that they don't care for particular people/situations...they can be all bouncy happy when they feel like, but will get down to business rather quickly.
I just had Sawyer out at the stables with me the other day and he was bouncing around like a fluffy idiot for the most part, but then one of the wranglers showed up and he stopped dead in his tracks, moved a bit closer to where I was sitting and did his alert stare until he realized it was just Dave.
Ted and I were up on the bluffs a few weeks ago, watching the sunset and the moon come up. We were out late enough that the coyotes started coming around and there was nothing soft about him then! Nor when some late joggers came around the corner...you'd have thought someone was going to die. He quit barking when I told him to and acknowledged the people, but no one was coming within 100 feet of us without us knowing.
And most people wouldn't know to think of a black w/ copper Aussie as an Aussie, they'd probably see them as some sort of "Rottie mix". Visual intimidation.
I just had Sawyer out at the stables with me the other day and he was bouncing around like a fluffy idiot for the most part, but then one of the wranglers showed up and he stopped dead in his tracks, moved a bit closer to where I was sitting and did his alert stare until he realized it was just Dave.
Ted and I were up on the bluffs a few weeks ago, watching the sunset and the moon come up. We were out late enough that the coyotes started coming around and there was nothing soft about him then! Nor when some late joggers came around the corner...you'd have thought someone was going to die. He quit barking when I told him to and acknowledged the people, but no one was coming within 100 feet of us without us knowing.
And most people wouldn't know to think of a black w/ copper Aussie as an Aussie, they'd probably see them as some sort of "Rottie mix". Visual intimidation.
Here it's just the opposite. The Aussies are more than competent and hard enough to work cattle -- some people even use them on pigs, and they aren't as easy and biddable as the BCs. Really, there's nothing here for a BC to do except be a lap dog. There's one herding organization over in Knoxville -- they don't welcome anything but BCs (they say otherwise, but once they find out you have another breed they won't even answer e-mails ) but they are all just for play. I've often thought it would be fun to watch Kharma go herd their dogs :rofl1:
The BCs here are pretty much just fluffy dogs that like to stare at you. Generally, though, if something stares back the tails tuck and the eyes drop pretty fast.
Now, the hunting dogs here are SERIOUS, but that's because the hunters are serious. There's a guy who raises Bloodhounds and no one wants to wander into his yard at night, lol. Of course, the people who hunt with APBTs usually have a guard dog for the dogs. Some of them use game fowl, and I have seen a couple of guys who got attacked by game roosters
) but they are all just for play. I've often thought it would be fun to watch Kharma go herd their dogs :rofl1:The BCs here are pretty much just fluffy dogs that like to stare at you. Generally, though, if something stares back the tails tuck and the eyes drop pretty fast.
Now, the hunting dogs here are SERIOUS, but that's because the hunters are serious. There's a guy who raises Bloodhounds and no one wants to wander into his yard at night, lol. Of course, the people who hunt with APBTs usually have a guard dog for the dogs. Some of them use game fowl, and I have seen a couple of guys who got attacked by game roosters
It's certainly interesting the variation of type around the country. I know there are some working BCs around here because I've been to a couple trials, but they're mostly bred around here for pet or sport. Even many of the working ones are bred to trial and not do real work that is required for someone's living. But they seem to be commonly crossed into ACDs and kelpies for the cattle. Same with Aussies but Aussies are generally moreso bred for pet purposes. There is an Aussie club in town that does agility and conformation type stuff but you never see any kind of stock work trials listed. The couple texas stockdog association trials I've been to were exclusively border collies and kelpies then again they were both sheep trials which is pretty unrealistic for the local area. You see cattle everywhere but I cant' think of ever coming across sheep.
I'm far from an expert though, I just have a lot of extended family in the ranching business.
There's a gorgeous, gorgeous little aussie I see around some. She's a red dog with almost no flash on her. I don't know anything about her breeding but she's different than most.
I'm far from an expert though, I just have a lot of extended family in the ranching business.
There's a gorgeous, gorgeous little aussie I see around some. She's a red dog with almost no flash on her. I don't know anything about her breeding but she's different than most.
Texas should have some good cattle-line Aussies still about, really. Oklahoma, for some reason, never really factored in hugely. Check out the ASCA website though, they'll show more listings.
Then again, one of the guys who used to use a lot of Hangin' Tree Aussies took some of his dogs down to Texas with him and started to cross in a few other things to make his own brand of ranch dog to do what he needed.
Then again, one of the guys who used to use a lot of Hangin' Tree Aussies took some of his dogs down to Texas with him and started to cross in a few other things to make his own brand of ranch dog to do what he needed.
That happens a lot around here. Most farmers that use dogs to maintain their living around here use mixes of some form or fashion. I've heard a little about hangin' tree cowdogs but not too much.
I know there's a few working Aussie type kennels (like Hart II) around.
Oklahoma never factors into much of anything, lol.
I know there's a few working Aussie type kennels (like Hart II) around.
Oklahoma never factors into much of anything, lol.
I have to say, my smooth Collie girl, Paris, is very protective. I love it. I live out in the middle of no where, I'm 27 yr old female and I live alone. My closest family is 6 hours away.
NO one will get onto my property without at least one of the dogs letting me know, and Paris can especially put on a good show, she is roughly 65lbs.
She is actually super friendly and loves most everyone. But someone she doesn't know walks up on my porch and she will fly into the door and start barking her head off, and she has a very deep bark, she sounds bigger than she is!! lol, she puts on a good show! Usually if I am traveling a long distance alone, she is my traveling buddy for the same reason. If we are sitting in the car and someone walks up to close behind my car she'll do the same thing.